Organic
There are two guides (so far) I've found very useful when purchasing organic items.
- Most of us are on a limited budget, and organic food is usually more expensive than regular food. Therefore, it can be useful to have a list of priority items where buying organic can make a big difference. For example, if you are buying strawberries and bananas, and only have enough in your budget to buy the organic version of one of them, it's generally recommended to buy organic strawberries and regular bananas. The reasoning is that the edible part of the banana is protected from pesticides by a thick skin, which is discarded. Strawberries, are like sweet little sponges, absorbing toxins directly into the edible parts of the fruit. For the official Environmental Working Group's best and worst lists, check out this wallet guide.
- The market for organic food is growing as consumers become more educated about the health problems caused by pesticides. Some (mostly large agriculture) corporations are taking advantage of this market. Profit driven conglomerates are undermining the organic standards. A current example is the Organic Milk crisis caused by Dean Food's acquisition of Horizon brand milk. If I'm going to pay more money for organic food, I want to make sure it is actually organic, and is produced by a company or farmer who believes in and supports the organic principles. Here are some complex but informative charts to help you wade through all the brands. When possible, I try to buy from the Major Independent Brands chart, and carry a printed copy of it to the grocery store.
Interated Pest Management
Note that organic
does not guarentee 100% chemical free. When buying produce, I also look for Integrated Pest Management which
uses pesticide sparingly and only as a last resort. Usually, I will buy local, integrated pest management fruits
and vegetables over organic items shipped from far away. The label 'natural' has no formal requirements, and
is therefore meaningless. You must still read the ingredient list.
